Monster Bash
by Gothic984
Summary: The annual Halloween party is approaching and Gail is trying to focus on the best way to handle her condition, now that she is back in town.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories Emotion, Old Friends, Family, Difficult Decisions, Reflection, Spirit, Acceptance, Whole Again, Homecoming, Oh Father, Birthday Surprises, Misguided Feelings, New Year, Picture Perfect, Kinship, Big River, Sunday Morning Coming Down, To Beat The Devil, Best Of All Possible Worlds, Little Girl Lost and Wicked Games.

It was a cool October morning in Trinity SC, there had been a heavy downpour of rain in the early hours of the morning which caused a deep earthy smell to be present throughout the gardens of the town.

Gail Emory sat comfortably on her Uncle Abe's front porch chair, with her dog Rocky at her feet. It had been a month since she had returned to Trinity and due to her delicate condition, in addition to her concerns with Abraham's health, she had chosen to reside with the man she had known from her childhood and had left Matt staying with the children in her absence. She still saw Caleb everyday and ensured he was being properly taken care of. She always cooked for them, to ensure they were well fed and had ordered Gideon to stay at her home as a protector when she was not there.

Abraham was a good man and she knew he cared for her dearly. Although her Uncle Abe could clearly see her condition, he did not comment on it and he appeared happy for them to go on pretending like nothing was different with her. He had welcomed her with open arms when she had told him she needed space away from her dependents and he did not question her motives or lecture her about her responsibilities.

Gail ran her hand through her long brown curly hair and stroked her ever expanding stomach gently, this was quite the predicament she had gotten herself into and it was hard to know what was the best course of action. Not only did she have her family to think about, she had the weight of this town on her with who's child she was carrying. She would have to deal with one thing at a time and her family came first.

The truth of the matter was that she did not trust Caleb around her in this condition and she was trying to hide it from him for as long as she could; however, her stomach had grown rapidly over the past month and no amount of loose flattering dresses could hide her condition for much longer. It was not as though she could avoid informing her cousin of her condition forever, but she was not ready to publicize it and as far as she was concerned this was her choice.

Her decision to remain here with her Uncle Abe had caused friction between her and Lucas, he had still not forgiven her for leaving and her choice to hide her condition appeared to be taken as an insult to him. He was also angry that she refused to allow her pregnancy to be monitored by his minions in the hospital, that had caused no end of arguements with him.

Gail did not know what he expected from her, especially after what had happened the last time she was pregnant. She genuinely believed her choice to leave Trinity, until there was a decreased chance of having a miscarriage, was the right one and she would not allow him to parade her around to his townspeople like some prize horse.

She was not stupid or naive, she knew her family name was important in this town and if it was fully confirmed that they were together, Lucas' popularity would rise by an inordinate amount. There were people who still saw sense in this town and could challenge him; however, she had looked more into her family history, while residing with Abe, and a Buck having an Emory on side publicly would go a long way to silence his doubters. She did not want to be a part of that and she certainly would not allow herself to be used.

Gail was aware that this situation must be hard for Abraham, considering he is one of Lucas' oldest friends and he had been spending a lot of time with her dependents over the past few months. If it appeared that her presence here was impacting his relationship with anyone, she would leave; however, this arrangement seemed to benefit them both, as Abe seemed happy for the company she provided.

As if sensing her thoughts, the front door opened and Abe hobbled out of the house with a tray in his hand. Gail went to stand up and he shot her a warning glance to remain where she was, then carefully placed the tray down on the table in front of her and sat down on his large porch chair. Gail smiled when she saw he had brought her some food and a cup of herbal tea.

'It may not be a big southern breakfast, but I won't have you sat out here eatin' nothin' Rosie' Abe sighed, as he relaxed into his chair.

Gail nodded towards him appreciatively and picked up a piece of toast. 'If you would've hollered for me, I would've cooked you a big southern breakfast Uncle...you need it more than I do'

Abe laughed and reached down for his cup of coffee. 'I've survived on much less than this youngin', don't you worry yourself about me...What are your plans for today? Are you takin' your lot out somewhere, with it bein' Saturday?'

Gail shook her head and reached for another piece of toast, after she had finished the first. She was trying to resist her excessive food cravings of late; however, she wanted to devour the whole plate that was lay out in front of her and it was getting hard to deny the cravings. 'I don't know what I'm going to do with them. To be honest, I was hoping to get some work done...Mark's been patient with me for the last few months, so it's about time I got him a good story'

'Are you goin' into the office?' Abe asked, raising his eyebrow and glancing at her stomach.

'God no, I can work somewhere else...' she laughed and finished chewing her second piece of toast, '...It's coming up on the Mayor's Halloween party and he want's me to do an article on it, considering I'm apparently in with that crowd'

'That's not a crowd you should be writin' about Rosie' Abe warned, concerned.

'Well unless I can find something else to interest my Editor, I don't have much of a choice' she said and carefully stood up.

Abe watched her walk down the porch steps and bend over to tend to one of his flower beds, she looked radiant in her loose short nightdress and the condition suited her; however, he cursed his old friend for getting her in this position. 'Why don't I take on the rabble today and you stay here? You can think on your story and what you wanna do?' he offered.

Gail glanced over her shoulder, then stood up and turned towards him. 'I couldn't expect you to do that, they're my responsibility not yours'

Abe laughed, then stood up and stretched. 'You said yourself it's comin' up on the biggest party of the year, I'm sure your youngin's wanna pick out suitable costumes for the annual competition and they sure ain't gonna find anythin' better than in my store'

Gail smiled and walked back up the porch steps, she knew he was trying to look after her and this gesture was sweet. 'Alright, only if you're sure...let me make myself presentable and I'll drop you off'

Abe nodded as she went back inside, with Rocky following close behind. He really enjoyed having her here with him, as he had not had proper company since his wife died years earlier. She was a breath of fresh air and he would help her anyway he could, to ensure she remained happy here.

* * *

Lucas sat bare chested on his porch chair holding a glass of pure orange juice and some tablets, as he stared out into his extravagant garden. He had been out drinking until approximately 4:00am and although he did not usual feel the after effects of alcohol, his head was pounding and he knew he could not go about his working day feeling the way he did right now.

He had not intended on having a night out on the town; however, he had stumbled across a man who was as frustrated with women as he was and the drinks just kept on flowing. Had Lucas have known his immunity to hangovers had suddenly disappeared, he may have thought twice about drinking as much as he had. Still, it had been an intriguing night and he had actually enjoyed himself for the first time in a long time.

Now that he was coming down from that high, his frustrations began to resurface and he felt himself getting agitated. He knew women were infuriating and had managed to avoid any serious connections with them throughout the years. When he initially won with Gail, he had found that she lacked their usual mundane needs and had believed this would make things easier; however, now he knew she was her own brand of crazy and she got under his skin more than any woman ever could.

This incessant need of hers to be in control of everything that went on in her life was beginning to be a problem. He was aware of the irony here, considering he himself was a control freak; however, he was right and she was wrong. He needed to find a way to make her understand that his way was the only way and all the resisting she had been doing had to stop.

He heard his father Malcolm's laughter trail down on the wind and shook his head in irritation. His distraction with Gail had allowed Malcolm to break free of his boundaries on this property and the ass was just loving watching him be tortured. Usually Lucas would react to such disobedience from the forces occupying his domain; however, Gail's darkness had triggered something and it was becoming harder to control the restless spirits here.

Billy Peel stumbled out of the mansion and collapsed into the chair beside him. Lucas turned his attention back to what he could control and let out a small laugh at the state of his present company, then placed the tablets in his mouth and downed the whole glass of juice.

Billy attempted to shield his eyes from the brightness of the morning sun with his hand; however, his attempt failed and he was struggling to make his vision focus. He turned towards the man beside him then stared in disgust at how composed and well kept he looked, even after the inordinate amount they had drank last night. 'Do you ever completely lose control?' he asked and tried to smooth down his unruly hair to fix his appearance.

Lucas laughed and placed the glass down on the porch table. 'Only in the bedroom friend...and only with a select few'

'You mean like Selena?' Billy asked bitterly.

'That woman is the farthest thing from my mind Doc...you should consider putting her behind you too' Lucas said standing up and walking towards the porch rail.

Billy watched Lucas carefully, he would never intended on having a night of heavy drinking with the man before him and his mind was still hazy as to how this had happened. Lucas appeared friendly enough this morning and he was finding it hard to establish what the catch was here.

'No catch and no games Billy-boy. I'm just tryin' to steady my mind, just like you...I've got more important things to be concernin' myself with than torturin' you' he sighed.

'You mean like torturing Gail?' Billy asked, standing up and approaching him.

Lucas continued to stare into the garden, this spot always eased his mind and helped him to focus. 'Gail is not a subject I'm willin' to discuss with you...'

'You were more than willing to discuss her last night...' Billy interrupted and laughed, '...In fact, I believe you went as far as to ask for my advice'

Lucas turned towards him and his seemingly friendly demeanor turned cold. 'Where do you think you are friend?' he threatened.

Billy was not scared by this mans threats, especially not after last night. He had actually found that he liked Lucas after their bender, against his better judgement and he was not trying to cause an argument. 'Drop the attitude Buck, I already agreed to help you last night and I'm a man of my word' he reassured.

Lucas regarded Billy suspiciously, he vaguely remembered discussing his anger at how Gail refused to get herself checked out in the hospital and was starting to recall what Billy was referring to. 'You'd do somethin' for me which could jeopardize your friendship with Gail?' he asked, amused at how quick Billy had turned.

'I'd ensure she was making the right decisions medically and if she chose to regard that as something bad rather than an act of concern, then so be it' Billy said and held his head as the throbbing in his brain started.

Lucas smiled and allowed his twin to be released, to take away Billy's pain. He chose to allow his own pain to continue as a reminder of what it was like to be human, it was not often he was in such a position.

His opinion of Billy had changed and Lucas was intrigued to see how this would play out; therefore, he would sit back and allow the man to do his work. 'Alright friend, I'll keep outta your way and allow you to work your magic. In the meantime, I'm starvin'...how 'bout we get ready and grab some breakfast? I know the perfect diner with a great hangover cure'

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Gail walked down the short path to Ben's small house, he had invested in this place not long after he started dating Rita and it had a certain charm to it that made her smile. Before she had a chance to ring the doorbell, the door swung open and Ben nearly knocked her over at his rush to get out of the house. When he realized he had nearly charged into Gail, he grabbed both of her arms to ensure she was steady on her feet.

'Well good morning to you too' she said and glanced at his grip on her.

Ben was out of sorts and it took him a moment to realize they were just standing in the open with him holding her. 'Aww hell Gail, I'm sorry' he apologized, as he let go of her and quietly closed the door.

Gail watched as Ben began to walk down the path and followed him. 'What's going on?' she asked curiously.

'What are you doin' here Gail? I got enough on my plate with Rita and her hormonal mood swings, I could do without this right now' Ben snapped, feeling the stress of his situation.

'Whoa there Deputy, considering I'm in that same predicament I'd be careful of your comments...I was just coming to check on Rita, what's gotten into you?'

Ben stopped in his tracks when he heard her scolding tone and took a deep breath. Rita was two weeks over her due date, which was causing all sorts of problems and now he was having to deal with his irresponsible, idiotic friend.

Gail sensed the stress radiating off of him and touched his arm reassuringly, then smiled when he looked apologetically at her. 'What's caused this urgency Ben? You should be in there with her'

Ben sighed and looked up at the sky in exasperation. 'She's goin' crazy with it all Gail and on top of that, I get a message from Billy saying he's having a friendly breakfast with the man who was willing to let him rot in jail a few months ago!...I mean what am I supposed to do here?' he asked in frustration.

Gail narrowed her eyes at him and felt a stir in her stomach. 'You're kidding...breakfast where?'

Before Ben had a chance to answer, she held a finger up to silence him and Ben saw the look on her face change from calm to angry . 'What's the matter Gail?' he asked concerned.

'You'll never guess where I dropped the children off to get some breakfast this morning?' she laughed in disbelief.

Ben shook his head and ran his hand through his thinning hair. 'I guess we're goin' to Miss Carmichael's diner' he sighed, not believing Billy could be so stupid.

Gail bit her lip in frustration and shook her head. 'You're going back in to your heavily pregnant girlfriend, I'll deal with this' Gail said forcing a reassuring smile, then headed back towards her car.

* * *

Merlyn sat opposite Abe and Caleb in a booth by the window, Gail had dropped them off here with some money to get something nice for breakfast and she was concerned about her cousin. Gail had not exited the car and she knew it was due to trying to hide her condition from Caleb, she supposed she could not blame her after what had happened the last time she was pregnant but she could not hide it from him forever.

Merlyn had been attempting not to get involved with the matter since Gail had returned to Trinity. When she first saw her and realized what condition she was in she had been angry, it was hard to understand how her cousin could have allowed herself to get in situation again; however, it was her life and Merlyn could not control her any more than she could control Caleb.

She had chosen to help Gail out as much as she could with her brother, she did give her the deed to her mothers old sanctuary after all and she was grateful. Besides, Gail was not as naive as she once was and Merlyn actually believed the choices her cousin made now may switch the power structure of this town. She would not let her hopes show and was content with looking out for her brother. She was thankful Gail was keeping them both out of this matter and it had seemed to be keeping Lucas distracted, which was a bonus.

'Get your head outta the clouds poppet, the lady's waitin' for your order' Abe said.

'Yeah poppet, get your head outta the clouds' Caleb teased and threw a sachet of ketchup at her playfully.

Merlyn glanced at the pretty waitress apologetically, then shot her brother an irritated look. 'I'll just have scrambled egg on toast please ma'am'

'That's a dull breakfast Missy...You ain't tryin' to watch your figure now are you? You're a little young to be focusin' on anythin' like that' Lucas smirked, as he stared down at her from behind the waitress.

'Well howdy Sheriff...' the pretty red headed waitress smiled, '...You want your usual?'

Lucas put on his best southern gentleman smile and ignored the look of hatred Merlyn was giving him. 'I'll take that twice Darlin', I gotta a friend over there who needs a pick me up...Why don't you go keep him company while I have a word with these good people?' he ordered charmingly and pushed into the booth beside Merlyn.

Abe glanced at Merlyn, then shot Lucas an unimpressed look. He had warned the boy to stay clear of him for the moment, while his Rosie sought sanctuary at his home, and this sudden appearance was not welcome.

'Are you havin' breakfast with us?' Caleb asked excitedly, before anyone else had chance to talk.

Lucas smiled at his son proudly, it appeared he was the only one willing to welcome him here. It was disappointing that his oldest friend Abraham was being so withdrawn with him; however, he was glad the man had taken Gail in and he understood it was not personal. 'Well son, I've got my own company this mornin', so I won't intrude on you good people...you can help me at the office later today if you like?'

Abe saw the excitement in Caleb's eyes and did not want to keep the boy from his father, especially knowing how many years Lucas had waited to connect with his son; however, he had given his word that he would look after the children today and he would not let his Rosie down. 'Any other day but today boy' Abe said, looking at Lucas.

Caleb felt something strange stir within him and stared at Abe defiantly; however, Lucas raised his hand in a silencing gesture, which prompted him to keep quiet.

'If Caleb wants to come with me, no-one is gonna stop him ol' man' Lucas warned.

'The hell they aren't boy...' Abe challenged, '...I gave my word and both the youngin's are my responsibility today. I couldn't care less what you do any other day, but not today'

Lucas stared dominantly at his old friend, it was one thing him stepping up to help Gail; however, he had no business interfering with his son. A loud smash could be heard in the distance but Lucas kept his attention on Abe, as the old man did the same on him.

'Is that Gail?' Merlyn said loudly, in an attempt to distract both men and smiled when they both turned towards the sound of the broken glass.

Gail was sat opposite Billy staring at him disapprovingly, then she sensed Lucas' anger and allowed her darkness to take control for a moment. When Billy's cup of coffee became so hot that he dropped it on the floor with a loud smash and she heard her name loudly mentioned by Merlyn, she knew she had her desired reaction.

Lucas spotted Gail opposite Billy and cursed his senses for not honing in on her when she was close. He felt his heartbeat quicken and his rage begin to rise within him at the sight of her. Caleb tried to push Abe out of the booth so he could go to his cousin; however, Lucas placed a dominant hand on the boys arm, which signaled him to stay put. The last thing he needed was the boy getting involved when their relationship was as strained as it was.

The pretty waitress came over to the table and started to wipe up the coffee on the floor. Gail watched her for a moment, then turned her attention back to Billy. 'You're an ass' she said shaking her head, then got up from the table and walked out of the diner.

Gail waved at her family as she left and sensed Lucas get up from the booth to follow her. She casually walked around the side of the diner where they would be alone and waited patiently for him to reach her.

The closer Lucas got to her, the more his rage intensified. Her abandonment was still a sore subject and he had been unable to punish her due to her current condition. If she had been able to take her punishment, he may have been able to drop the matter by now; however, as it stood he still wanted to hurt her like she had hurt him.

When he approached her, Gail took a deep breath and lay back against the wall of the building. She could sense his rage close to the surface and her darkness was ready to step in if required. 'So, you're taking my friends now?' she asked calmly.

Lucas stared deep into her eyes, then let his eyes trail down to her stomach. She had kept herself well hidden in Abraham's property and he could see how much his unborn child had grown since their last encounter. 'Your friend came to me Darlin', if I recall you abandoned him too' he said and placed his hand gently on her swollen stomach.

Gail inhaled deeply at his touch when he stroked her stomach, she had not allowed him to come this close since their encounter in the cabin and she felt the familiar stir between her legs. 'We've been over this several times and I'm not going to explain myself again, I'm bored with it...Now, what could you possibly want with him? Is it not enough that you screwed his girlfriend and hurt her physically? I thought that would be enough torture to satisfy your needs' she said with a hint of venom in her tone.

Lucas laughed and continued to stroke her stomach, he sensed her guard waiver as soon as he touched her and his rage had started to withdraw. 'Well we've already been through this love, I'm getting bored with it...' he said, throwing her comment back at her. '...I didn't penetrate her and even if I had, you'd left me so you might wanna reserve some of that judgement and blame for yourself'

'You're really putting this on me?...' she laughed angrily, '...It doesn't give you a free pass on every man's woman if someone leaves you Lucas. You're delusional and...'

'Deceitful and hateful' he interrupted, then moved closer to her and began nipping at her neck playfully.

Gail felt her desire for him flow through her and cursed herself for playing into his hands. He always found a way in through her anger, she knew that and had previously learned to control it; however, her hormones were all over the place and it was hard to push him away. 'Cruel...evil' Gail continued, moving her head to the side to allow him more access to her neck.

'Irrational, unbearable and downright reprehensible' Lucas whispered and moved both hands under her dress to caress her stomach.

Gail allowed him to kiss and bite her neck, then tangled her hands in his hair and pulled his lips to hers for a passionate kiss. She nipped at his lips teasingly as his hands moved from her stomach to her breasts, then allowed him to turn her around to face the wall.

Lucas felt his manhood harden and his rage disappeared when he sensed her acceptance of him. He moved his hands to her panties, then slowly pulled them down and allowed her to step out of them. He nipped at the inside of her thighs as he stood up, then unzipped his pants, lifted up her dress and pushed his manhood carefully inside of her. He bit down on her shoulder with the intense pleasure he of the entry and smiled when he heard her soft moan.

Gail placed her hands on the wall in front of her and pushed back into him when he entered her. She could not deny how much her body yearned for him and the feeling of him inside of her was exquisite. She rested her forehead on the wall as he he began thrusting in and out of her carefully, she sensed her current condition was causing him to be cautious and the thought of him worried made her laugh.

Lucas sensed her amusement and nipped at her ear, as he continued to move in and out of her. 'Somethin' funny love?' he panted and reached down to her sweet spot, to get her attention back on the activity at hand.

Gail let out a loud moan as his movements became faster and he played between her legs, she had forgotten why she had come here in the first place and there was only this. She felt their climax rising and pushed further back into him, she heard his moans become faster and bit his hand to stifle her yell when he covered her mouth to silence her.

Lucas bit down hard on her neck when his orgasm came and felt himself explode within her. He remained inside her for a few moments, then reached for a handkerchief, pulled out of her and cleaned her up.

Gail inhaled deeply and shook her head, the memories of why she had came here were returning and she had at least succeeded in keeping him away from her family for now. 'Leave them be Lucas, I have enough to worry about without you making things worse' she panted.

'I will not neglect my son Gail, but I'll leave them with Abe for now' he agreed.

Gail smiled and stroked his cheek, then headed back towards her car to figure out what she was going to do about an article.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Ben pulled up his cruiser outside Abe's Antique store, turned off the engine and sighed. It was bad enough that he had to work while Rita was ready to give birth at any moment; however, it was much worse when he was getting pushed towards the Temple family drama. Ben knew from speaking to Gail this morning that the Temple children were with Abraham today, which meant their detour here while out on patrol was something to do with them.

Ben just wanted an easy life, he had hoped with Gail's return that everything would calm down again; however, he was getting pulled in all directions and he just wanted to hide away in a quiet place where no-one could bother him, at least that way he would get some peace.

'Oh stop being so dramatic Benji, you'd have died of boredom by now if you weren't included in the Temple families drama' Lucas said sarcastically, then got out of the car and signaled for Ben to follow him.

Ben hated it when Lucas appeared to read his mind as it made him feel uneasy, he reluctantly got out of the car and caught up to Lucas. 'What are we doin' here? Can't I just finish our patrol and leave you here?' he suggested hopefully.

Lucas stopped outside the door to the store and turned around. 'What happened to the Ben who used to challenge me and question my moral compass? You know, the guy who went behind my back to lead my girlfriend to evidence which indicated I fathered her cousin...do you remember that guy?' he asked candidly.

Ben stared at Lucas for a moment, then laughed when it was evident he was joking. 'That guy now has a heavily pregnant girlfriend to be concerned about, who's wrath is likely worse than yours'

Lucas smiled and shook his head. 'The trick with women is allowing them enough control to think they've won. She's not here Ben and I know you used to secretly enjoy your independence...It's about time you got introduced to the players in this town, considerin' you're my right hand man and all' he said, then entered the store.

'What the hell is that supposed to mean?' Ben asked and followed Lucas closely.

'It means you need a costume friend' Lucas smiled and glanced around the store, surprised that the front counter was unmanned.

Laughter trailed out of the room at the back of the store, which held some specialist gear Abe had to offer. Lucas casually walked down the corridor towards the sound, with Ben in tow and entered the room to find it's occupants in fits of laughter. 'Well if it ain't the three musketeers' he said sarcastically and moved closer to the group.

Abe turned towards the sound of his old friend and rolled his eyes at him. 'I thought you were busyin' yourself somewhere else boy'

'And I thought you were too old to be babysittin' ol' man...' Lucas replied and went to Caleb, '...What've you got there son?'

Caleb regarded Lucas casually. 'Just a costume I'm thinkin' of wearin' for the Halloween party'

'I wasn't aware you were invited' Lucas said, shooting an irritated glance at Merlyn who had gone protectively to Ben's side.

'You or Gail will take me...' Caleb shrugged, '...I'm just bein' prepared'

'Is that so?...' Lucas laughed and picked up the costume, '...Well if you're goin' with me son, this thing won't do'

'What's wrong with Captain America? Too good for your likin'?' Merlyn goaded.

'Come on now...' Abe interjected, '...The boy don't need either of your help to decide on a costu...'

'Oh there's nothin' wrong with that hero Merlyn Ann, he appears as pure as the driven snow...' Lucas interrupted, not caring that he had addressed her by her real name in public, '...but my boy is smart and surely understands a hero isn't really that clean'

'Your boy knows the difference between good and evil' Merlyn stated, standing her ground.

'But a boy's mind can be clouded, due to the form in which the players take...don't you agree Merlyn?' Lucas added.

Ben glanced at Abraham, who looked as concerned as he was with where this conversation was going and just shrugged at the old man. He did not know what to do when they got like this and he was hoping the old man did.

Abe watched as they stood clearly against each other and noticed Caleb was watching them curiously. Abe had heard the subtle change in his old friends tone and usually knew better than to get involved; however, the children were his responsibility today and his Rosie would not be impressed if something happened on his watch. 'Step down boy, there's no need for this' he ordered.

'Are you really gettin' involved here ol' man?...' Lucas laughed in disbelief, '...Your Rosie should've known better than to burden you with this task and I'm truly surprised you're goin' against your better judgement'

Abe had been holding a large book that he was going to give to Caleb and he slammed it down on the floor in anger. He had gone through life in a peaceful state, never getting involved in anything that did not concern him; however, the past year with his Rosie and these children in his life had caused his patience to be tried, on more occasions than he cared to admit and he was sick of it. 'You listen here boy and listen good. I ain't some piece of dirt on your shoe, so you will respect who you're talkin' to in that high and mighty tone of yours...I know you, I see you and I always have. You really think you can disrespect me in my own place? Boy, I got a right to put you over my knee and spank you like I used to do in front of your momma!' he snapped.

Lucas took a step back and regarded his old friend carefully. It was not like him to show his feelings so publicly and he really must have hit a nerve. He did not know whether to put the man in his place, or laugh at the audacity of his remarks.

Caleb could feel the tension rise in the room and his eyes opened wide when Abe spoke out against Lucas. He noticed Merlyn was about to say something, then chose to step in before the situation was made worse. 'What do you suggest for my costume?' Caleb asked Lucas, trying to change the subject.

Lucas shook his head at Abe, then laughed and turned towards Caleb. 'You know, this grumpy ol' man here has a lot more items which would cater to your needs...all you gotta do is ask him'

Caleb turned towards Abe, who was still staring at Lucas angrily and took a deep breath. 'Have you got anythin' different I could look at?'

Abe inhaled deeply, then let out a long sigh. 'Of course I do youngin', you know this deviant doesn't just come to me for common things'

Lucas smiled when he sensed Abe begin to relax and turned towards Ben. 'Why don't you and the Mrs over there look for somethin' sutiable here Deputy, we're gonna check out the good stuff' he laughed and followed Abe, as he led Caleb to his hidden collection.

Merlyn sighed as she watched them head to a small room in the corner and the door closed. 'Why do you put up with him?' she asked irritated.

'Why do I put up with anyone' Ben shrugged and reluctantly began to look through the costumes.

* * *

Gail sat with Rita and the Mayors wife Mary, eating lunch at a small cafe in town. Ben had been worried about Rita so she had returned to check on her after she had been to the diner and convinced her to join her for lunch, as it would get her out of the house for a few hours. Rita was huge and looked like she was ready to give birth any moment. Gail was trying not to think of her own pregnancy; however, she could not help but wonder what strange things were in store for her, considering this pregnancy was much like the strangeness of her first.

Gail had decided when she was in Nashville that she would not get herself checked out in the usual way. This pregnancy was far from normal and she did not need the worry of having to listen to all the discrepancies when a Doctor compared her to a normal pregnancy. Her decision had infuriated Lucas; however, this was her body and she refused to lose control like she had done in her previous pregnancy. She sensed their child, she was doing everything she could to ensure it's safety and she did not need a machine or a Doctor to tell her what she should be experiencing.

Lucas's involvement with Billy earlier had made her wonder what her lover was up to. She hoped they were not conspiring against her, as she would not stand for being told what to do or being pressured into getting herself examined. If she found out her friend was working against her she would not react well, especially with her hormones being completely out of whack; therefore, she hoped Billy was being smart.

This whole situation was crazy and she was enjoying the normality of having lunch with two genuinely nice women, even if both women kept quizzing her about her relationship status.

'Come on Gail, I haven't seen you in forever and you've certainly changed since our last meeting...What's going on with you?' Mary asked, as she finished the last of her salad.

Gail sighed and pushed the remainder of her steak to one side on her plate. 'Nothings going on with me...my life is just as normal as it's always been, so just drop it'

Rita glanced at Gail knowingly and moved her plate to one side when she had finished her meal. 'I think you look great and you don't seem as stressed as you used to'

'Thank you Rita' Gail smiled and pushed her plate towards Rita's. She had been on a high protein diet; however, she was beginning to feel nauseous and could not stomach anymore meat.

Mary looked at both women and shook her head, she knew there was something going on and would find out eventually; however, it appeared this was not the time to push the issue. 'Alright, let's talk about something else. Can I expect you two lovely ladies at our party next Friday?' she asked, as she reached for the dessert menu.

Gail shook her head and picked up her glass of juice. 'I've got an old man and two children to look after...I doubt I'll make it'

'Hopefully I'll have a baby to look after by then, so count me out too' Rita added.

'You two are infuriating!...' Mary laughed and signaled the waitress, '...I understand if you can't make it Rita, but you will be there Gail'

Gail smiled at the young waitress who had come to take the dessert order and waited for her to leave before addressing Mary. 'I can't, I have responsibilities...'

'Well bring them with you...' Mary interrupted and her tone turned serious, '...Last year you crashed the men's party and although they were pissed, they invited you into their group...You're an Emory and you have other responsibilities than the lovely children you've taken on'

Rita nodded and took a sip of her drink. 'She's right, you're now one of the big players in this town Gail and their are expectations that come with that'

'I don't give a damn about anyone's expectations of me...I am not a performing pony and I will not be pressured into doing something I haven't got time to be concerned with' Gail said sternly and watched as both women shook their heads at her.

'I'll put you down as a maybe and just think on it Gail' Mary said, not taking no for an answer.

Gail was about to protest when she felt a twinge in her stomach, then smiled when she saw dessert heading their way.

* * *

Matt entered his office and rolled his eyes when he saw Billy sat behind his desk on the telephone. He had agreed to share his office with the man until he figured out what he was going to do; however, Billy was slowly taking over and it was beginning to bother him.

Billy sighed when he saw Matt and waved him away, indicating he was on a private telephone call. When Matt did not leave, he just shook his head. 'Yes, that's patient I'm looking for...Could you forward that to me Bella? You're a star, that's petal...I'll be sure to check in more often' he said and hung up the telephone.

'Sounds like you reconnected with an old friend' Matt said as he walked to his desk and reached for his top draw to unlock it.

Billy moved out of the way and stood up. 'It was more of a professional courtesy...You up to much when your shift finishes? or are you stuck with the children as usual?' he asked, not particularly interest but feeling the need to make small talk.

Matt laughed, 'You make it sound like I have something better to do than spending time with them...I don't drink remember?'

Billy smiled and reached for his jacket. 'Yeah, you're missin' out man...I gotta go meet a friend, you have a good one'

Matt nodded and watched Billy leave, considering he knew both Ben, Gail and Selena were not spending their time with Billy recently, he wondered who he was hanging out with. Matt shrugged to himself, he had more important things to be concerned with and rooted for his patients file.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

A week had passed since Gail had been out for lunch with Mary and she had been hounded about the Halloween party. If it was not Mary sending her invitations, it was Caleb constantly badgering her to take him with her. All Gail wanted to do was hide away in her Uncle Abe's home and not be bothered; however, it appeared even Abe thought she should attend the party, as it was one of the biggest events of the year.

Gail had no desire in socializing at this moment in time and was more concerned with who's birthday was fast approaching. From the strange way Abe had been acting, she suspected it was a big birthday this year and her old curiosity about Lucas had returned. She had heard about the run in at the antique store the previous week from Merlyn and had chosen to keep her distance from him, to show she would not reward his questionable behavior; however, it was hard to obtain information about him without speaking to the source, as she would not visit his home or his mothers Wicca store in her current condition.

Gail felt frustrated and this pregnancy was not helping the matter. She felt herself getting bigger each day and knew her condition was going to be obvious to anyone who saw her soon. She needed to talk to her family about this, especially Caleb; however, part of her still worried about what change this could cause within her cousin.

It was not that she was afraid of Caleb, she was confident with everything she had discovered over the past year that he could never hurt her again; however, her dark half did not appear to love him like she does and she was worried about what would happen to him should she feel threatened. This situation was making her sick and she cursed herself for getting involved with someone who had so much weirdness surrounding him. She just wanted to bury herself somewhere deep and wait for it all to be over. Unfortunately, that was not an option and she had to deal with the consequences of her own stupidity.

Gail looked out into the beautiful twilight from her seated position on Abe's back porch and took a deep breath to calm herself. She needed to tackle one task at a time and the fast approaching birthday was high on her list.

* * *

Matt Crower returned to his office after Billy's shift had finished, his irritation with the man was starting to show and he needed time away from him. When Matt offered to share his office, he thought it would just be for a patient or two that Billy would need to see in private; however, he did not realize it would involve him giving up his desk and computer for half of the day.

Matt sat down and glanced at the half full coffee cup that had been left on his desk, then shook his head. He was a patient man but there was only so much he could take before he would explode. Matt moved the coffee cup to one side and moved the mouse to bring the computer out of standby, it appeared Billy had left himself logged in again which was becoming a regular occurrence.

Just before Matt had a chance to switch users, an alert chimed and a small Email box appeared with the subject Gail Emory. A knock came at his office door; however, Matt did not hear it. Before he could stop himself, he had clicked on the Email alert and found an attachment with Gail's medical records from Nashville. Matt had not seen much of Gail lately; however, he had talked to her and she had made it clear that she was residing with Abraham to keep people out of her personal business, so this intrusion would not go over well.

'Matt?' Merlyn called again, with a hint of concern in her voice.

'What?' Matt asked abruptly, then his features softened when he saw M.

'Are you alright? I knocked and called your name several times, but you were in a world of your own'

Matt shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. 'I'm fine, just busy...what's wrong?' he asked distracted.

Merlyn regarded him carefully, Matt was usually happy to see her; however, it appeared she had interrupted something. 'Nothin's wrong, I was just comin' to see if you wanted to grab somethin' to eat is all'

Matt glanced at the girl he was so fond of and sighed. 'Sorry, of course I do...let me just grab my coat' Matt forced a smile and logged off his computer; however, not before he had forwarded the Email to himself and deleted the sent trail, so Billy would be unaware of his actions.

* * *

Lucas paced around his garden casually, holding a large glass of red wine. Night had fallen and the solar lights that Gail had previously placed around the garden shone bright in the dark, signposting his way to the path leading back to his house. He was usually agitated at this time of year, knowing his birthday was coming up; however, he was unusually calm and wondered if he would get any surprises like he had the previous year.

Lucas was not one for birthday celebrations, at least not his own. After his mother had died there had been no point in even acknowledging the day and he had always just wanted it to pass without incident; however, Gail's stunt the previous year had rekindled his old excitement for the day and although he did not want to get his hopes up, he looked forward to finding out what she had in store for him.

The revealing costume that his love wore at the Halloween party last year and the acts they performed in the Mayor's bedroom started to flow through his head. The thoughts of the short corset dress with the fishnet stockings made his manhood hard and he closed his eyes in an attempt to regain control of his feelings; however, when he opened his eyes, he was stood outside Abraham's spare bedroom.

Lucas glanced around to confirm his old friend was tucked away in bed, then quietly opened the door in front of him and smiled when he saw Gail asleep peacefully on the bed. When he entered the room he spotted Rocky lay on the floor at the bottom of the bed, as if guarding his master and narrowed his eyes at the dog, to stop his low growls. He approached the bed slowly and stood over it for a moment, watching Gail sleep, then started to unbutton his shirt.

Gail stirred slightly, feeling a faint sense of intrusion and rolled over on to her right side. When her senses became aware that she was not alone she opened her eyes and felt a hand brush against her hip, as someone entered the bed with her. She started to turn around to meet the intruder; however, she was reassured by soft lips gently kissing her neck and relaxed into the touch she had become accustomed to. 'This is a surprise...' she whispered and closed her eyes when he trailed his lips over her neck, '...Abe with kill you if he finds out you're in here with me'

Lucas smiled at her acceptance of his presence and moved his hand over her stomach, while he propped himself up on his elbow. 'Well we'll just have to keep the noise down to ensure the ol' man is none the wiser, now won't we?' he whispered and nipped at her ear playfully.

Gail allowed him to play for a moment, before taking hold of the hand that was stroking her stomach and gently pushing it off of her. 'Not here Lucas...this is not our place and it's not right'

Lucas ran his hand down her thigh slowly and smiled at her sharp intake of breath. 'See, now your mouth is sayin' one thing and your body is sayin' somthin' completely different...What is a man to do?' he asked sarcastically and moved beneath the sheets.

Gail lay on her back and sighed, she loved this playful nature of his and could not scold him for sensing what she truly wanted. She felt him part her legs slowly and push up her short nightdress, then took a large intake of breath when he blew and licked the delicate area between her legs. She bit her bottom lip in an attempt to remain quiet, when his tongue entered her and began to make patterns. The last thing she needed was her Uncle Abe finding them in this position.

Lucas relished in the pleasant taste of her sweet spot, she tasted different and he could not get enough of her like this. He licked and sucked her until he sensed her release coming, then carefully climbed on top of her and parted her legs further with his knees. 'You see Darlin', this ain't so bad' he teased and ran his hands up her body to her breasts, then squeezed.

Gail let out of quiet moan and shook her head in mock disapproval. 'You're just trying to get me in trouble Sheriff, I know your game' she whispered and smiled at his fake look of confusion.

'I'm just doin' my duty as a concerned law man in this town Miss Emory...' he said in his best southern gentleman tone, '...We can't have such a beautiful young woman pent up like this, especially not one in your condition'

'Oh I see...' Gail laughed and licked her lips seductively, '...It's not safe having these pent up desires and it's your sole duty to release them?'

'There you go love, you hit the nail on the head' he smiled, then leaned down and kissed her passionately.

Gail ran her hands up his bare chest then scraped her long nails down his skin, she smiled when she heard his moan and his failed attempt to stifle it. She reached around to his back and scratched him hard, feeling her nails pierce his skin, then bit down hard on his shoulder when he thrust his manhood inside of her.

Lucas could not hold back any longer when she dug her nails into him and pushed his face into her neck when her sweet spot closed around his manhood. He enjoyed the tightness of her with the first few thrusts, then felt the intense pleasure as she opened up for him and he was able to move with more ease.

He knew better than to do this is his old friends home; however, she had chosen these living arrangements and Abraham should have known that he would not stay away for long. Still, he respected his friend enough to ensure they kept the noise down and sucked her breasts to keep his mouth full and stifle his loud moans.

Gail wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled his head to hers, she was struggling keeping her arousal quiet and his slow relentless movements were becoming too much to bear. It amused her that Lucas was being careful not to lean too hard on her stomach and she tangled her hands in his hair, then pulled his head back to address him. 'I appreciate that you're trying to be as gentle as possible here...but if you don't get a move on, I'm not going to be able to keep quiet for much longer' she panted and smiled when his movements began to quicken.

Lucas started to pound in and out of her, careful not to put much pressure on her stomach. He sensed their climax rising and pinned her hands above her head, to give him complete control. 'Is this better Miss Emory' he asked, barely able to keep his own moans controlled.

Gail felt her intense orgasm rising within her and felt his lips come down on hers when she was about to call out. They kissed passionately and she wrapped her arms around him, when he released her hands. It was nice to have a moment with just them and no strangeness surrounding them; therefore, they continued to kiss and stroke each other tenderly for a few minutes, without a care in the world.

When they pulled out of their embrace, Lucas moved the left and propped himself up on his elbow. He stroked her bare stomach and stared at her affectionately. 'You will be coming to the party tomorrow' he stated and took a deep breath to calm his heart rate.

'Oh will I father?' Gail asked sarcastically.

Lucas smiled, then reached up and stroked her cheek gently. 'You have a duty Gail...You pushed yourself into these circles, so you only have yourself to blame'

Gail let out a long sigh and shook her head. 'We'll see...' she said and rolled out of the bed to find a tissue to clean herself up with, '...You need to go, if you're caught in here none of us will be going anywhere'

Lucas laughed and got out of the bed, then approached her and wrapped his arms around her waist. 'I'll go...but if you don't want a re-occurrence of this sort in the future, you need to consider your place of residence Darlin' he said placing a kiss on her bare shoulder, then reaching for his clothes.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

It was 7:30am and Matt paced in front of Abraham's house, waiting for some sign of life. He had not been able to sleep knowing Billy was up to something, so he just wanted to pass the information on to Gail and be done with it.

He had managed to keep out of all the drama which would usually pull him in recently and he had no desire on becoming part of the game again. All he wanted was to get on with his life without being dragged in to something; however, his loyalty was with Gail and he felt duty bound to inform her that someone she trusted was going being her back.

A shadow inside the front door got his attention and pulled him away from his thoughts. Part of him was looking forward to seeing his old friend and he could not control the smile that formed on his face, at the thought of her coming out to him; however, the smile quickly faded when he saw the old man hobble out onto the front porch, with a look of thunder on his face.

'Matt Crower? What in god's name has you lurkin' around my premises this early in the mornin'?' Abe asked, as he squinted his eyes in an attempt to make his vision focus.

Matt glanced behind Abraham, hoping Gail had followed him out; however, she was nowhere to be seen. 'I've got to see Gail, is the up?'

Abe sighed and shook his head, he had never known there to be so many visitors to his place until his Rosie came to stay. 'My Rosie needs her rest Doc, you'll do well to be runnin' along now' he ordered and turned back towards the house.

'I need to see her now...It's important' Matt stated and stood his ground.

Abe turned towards Matt again and a look of anger crossed over his face. 'Listen here boy...you may have some authority with the good people in this town, but this is my property and you certainly ain't got any say over me...Now, my Rosie is tired and she won't be gettin' disturbed. If you choose to hang about like a nuisance, I'll have no choice but the reach for my shotgun behind the door and believe me, you don't want that'

Matt stared at Abraham in disbelief, if only he showed this protective side when Lucas came calling for her. 'Fine, just tell her I stopped by and to check her Email'

Abe narrowed his eyes at Matt, then relaxed when he turned to leave. He was unsure about that man and knew the girls liked his company; however, he appeared too good for his liking and it was hard to trust someone who could hide their flaws so well.

Abe shook off his thoughts and returned inside. As he headed to the kitchen, he spotted Gail sat at the dining table eating a banana and smiled. 'Mornin' sleepy head. How long have you been there?'

Gail smiled and shrugged, 'Since the sound of raised voices woke me and just long enough to hear you threaten my friend with a shotgun'

Abe regarded her suspiciously, he could not tell whether she was mad or amused at what he had done. 'I didn't want him disturbin' you' he shrugged and went to fill the new coffee pot she had bought him, as a gift for having her.

Gail peeled the banana further and took another bite. She should be annoyed that he had gotten involved in her business, as Matt clearly had something to talk to her about; however, the truth was she was bored of all the drama she always seemed to get dragged into and was happy simply being here with Abe. 'Well thank you for protecting me Uncle...' she said sweetly, as she got up from the table and reached for her iPad situated on the kitchen counter. '...I guess I should check my Email as he said, to ensure all is right in the world'

Abe laughed at the sarcasm in her voice, he was glad she seemed happy here and did not mistake his actions for something bad. His laughter stopped when he saw her playfulness subside and be replaced with a look of anger. 'What is it dear?' he asked concerned.

Gail could feel the rage inside of her stirring and shook her head. When she opened the attachment, she thought Matt had gone behind her back for her medical records again; however, she knew he was too smart to throw away their friendship like that again. She closed the attachment and scrolled down on the Email, to see Billy's request to the hospital she had attended in Nashville and felt the darkness within her clawing to be released.

'Rosie?' Abe called when she did not answer him.

Gail took a deep breath and tried to force a smile. 'It's fine...I'm fine, it just looks like I'm not going to have the relaxing day I was hoping for'

Abe approached her and placed his hand on her shoulder. 'You've got the party tonight, try not to get yourself stressed over whatever this is'

Gail laughed and shook her head. 'Oh I know what I'm required to do Uncle, I just have a ]fly to swat in the meantime' she said and headed for her bedroom.

* * *

Lucas sat in his office, proud at what he had accomplished. He had spent the last week searching for the perfect costume for his boy with Abe and the old man had come through just in time. He had shown Caleb the costume and he was excited with what he had chosen. They both believed he could win the best dressed competition for the second year running and Lucas would not even have to use his influence to make it so.

After he had visited Caleb, he had returned to his office to find Billy waiting for him. It turned out the boys nights they had continued to go on this past week had gained the mans trust, as Billy had managed to obtain Gail's medical records from when she was in Nashville and had reported in with his findings. The fact that Billy had turned against his love and had came to his side had amused him, it appeared the man had grown bored of performing for the women and was starting to prove himself loyal to him.

Lucas had rewarded his loyalty, as he always did when his townspeople came through for him and arranged for a meeting with Doctor Larry Charlton, to discuss Billy's possible return to Juniper. It turned Gail's initial interference with putting Billy in that role previously may have worked out in his favor after all.

Thinking of his love, Lucas pondered over the information Billy had provided him with. It appeared Gail had gotten herself checked out when she initially arrived in Nashville; however, she did not follow up with any of the required appointments. The report Billy provided indicated his boy was doing just fine but his growth was more accelerated than a usual fetus. Lucas knew that was nothing to be concerned with, considering how Judith's pregnancy went.

He still was not happy that Gail had not been fully checked out here; however, the information Billy provided had gone a long way in easing his concerns and he felt all the pieces were finally starting to fall into place. All he had to do now was to figure out the best way to let his son know he was going to be an older brother, without causing the beast within to interfere.

A sudden wave of discomfort fell over him and he stood up from his desk, grabbed his jacket and headed to the main entrance of the building.

Ben looked up from his newspaper when he saw Lucas come out of his office. 'I thought we were settlin' in for the day...' Ben joked, '...Is everythin' all right?'

'No such luck for you Benji, I do believe it's finally time for that pretty little Nurse of yours...Grab your keys, we're headin' to the hospital' Lucas smiled and signaled for Ben to follow him.

* * *

Gail was perched on the desk in Billy's office in Juniper House, with Rita sat comfortably on a chair in front of her. She had been at the pier with Rita when Larry had called her to advise he had reinstated Billy as the Head Doctor in Juniper and Gail knew then that he had fully betrayed her. Before she could control herself, she had ushered Rita into her car and now here they were, waiting for the Head Doctor of Juniper to arrive.

'So tell me again, why are you mad at Billy?' Rita asked casually, as she sipped at a glass of water.

Gail regarded the woman before her suspiciously, she liked Rita; however, the woman would not let up when she knew there was gossip. 'I don't recall telling you the first time' she said and glanced at the contract on the desk.

'Oh come on Gail, this is the only entertainment I have these days...What's he done this time?'

Gail rolled her eyes then let out a small laugh. Before she had a chance to answer, Billy entered the room and she felt her darkness trying to be released.

'Afternoon ladies, this is a pleasant surprise...I wasn't expecting visitors' Billy smiled, as he hung up his jacket behind the office door.

Rita glanced at Gail, who was stalking his every move with her eyes. Something serious had definitely gone on between these two and she began to doubt that she should be here.

When no-one answered him, Billy began to feel uneasy. Gail's look of thunder had not gone unnoticed by him and he was unsure how best to diffuse the situation.

'The situation wouldn't need diffusing if you hadn't stolen my medical records Doctor' Gail said calmly, with a hint of venom in her tone and released her darkness.

Rita disregarded the fact that she did not know what Gail was replying to and looked at Billy with disgust. 'You did what? Why would you want medical records that you hadn't been authorized to have?' she asked confused.

'Yes, why would you want that Doctor?...' Gail asked before Billy had a chance to answer, thriving off the information her darkness was plucking from his subconscious. '...Could it be to get your job back? No, that'd be too mundane...I know, was it to punish me as any chance you believed you had with me disappeared with the baby I'm carrying?...Yes, your delusional beliefs seem much more plausible than you bending the knee to Lucas Buck for this pathetic role'

Rita turned back towards Gail shocked. 'That's not nice...'

Gail shot Rita a warning look to keep quiet, then got up off the desk and turned her full attention towards Billy.

Billy stood by the door, trying to ignore his instinct to run. When the words left her mouth, he knew that subconsciously that was the true reason for his betrayal and there was no point denying what she already appeared to know. He was bitter that he had lost Selena and he had also lost Gail too. 'You should've just let me check on your health Gail, it's what pregnant woman do' he said, trying to disregard her comments

Gail laughed and shook her head, 'You think I'd ever trust your competence with Matt Crower around? The only reason I let you near me in the past was the real professional in this town was locked up, but not anymore...Regardless of what Lucas has promised, it was me who got you in to this cushy role. Had I not took pity on you, knowing Matt was who everyone wanted as their resident Doctor, there would've been no place for you here'

'Gail...' Rita interrupted, but her voice fell on deaf ears.

'Firstly, I have more skill than your precious Matt and secondly, I have just as much place in this town as you have...What is it you do Gail? Get by on your family name at the paper they used to run? At least I have a purpose, rather than a made up one created due to a dead father' Billy spat out defensively.

'Billy!' Rita snapped, but no-one paid any attention to her.

Gail recoiled at his insult, then smiled. 'Wow, it appears spending time with my lover has helped you grow a pair of balls...' she laughed, knowing her previous comments had hurt him. '...You think I got through life on my parents name, in places where they hadn't even been heard of? Are you seriously going to accuse me of riding on daddy's coattails, when your fathers reputation in Atlanta got you the job in the CDC?...Before you go spouting your mouth about my supposed easy ride, why don't you look at your own career and see who really got where they are with daddy's influence'

Billy marched towards Gail and stood only a few inches from her face, he felt enraged at her smug smile and could not hold back any longer.

'Gail!' Rita yelled in pain and tried to stand up.

Gail stared at Billy for a moment then turned towards Rita angrily, ready to scold her for the interruption; however, the water on the floor beneath Rita made her features soften. 'Now, seriously?' she asked in disbelief at her own bad luck.

Billy turned towards Rita at Gail's reaction and saw her water had broken, then rushed towards her. 'Jesus...come on, let's get you to our medical bay' he said and took hold of her arm gently.

Gail walked casually over to the pair and gripped Billy's hand tight, then pulled it off Rita. 'Didn't you hear a word I said? You're not competent enough to assist anyone in serious need of medical attention...Come on Rita, I'll get you to someone who is actually capable enough to help' she said and led Rita out of the room, shooting Billy a warning glance not to follow them.

Rita took a deep breath an allowed Gail to lead her, she could not believe her contractions had started when she was here and was thankful Gail was not allowing her baby to be born in a mental asylum.

-To be continued-


	6. Chapter 6

Gail paced outside the hospital room, attempting to tune out Rita's screams. She had been trying reach Ben by telephone; however, it appeared he had left with Lucas some time ago. She was just about to call the Sheriff's Station again when she caught sight of Ben approaching her with Lucas, she shook her head at both men and signaled for Ben to go Rita.

Lucas could not stop his smile forming when he saw Gail, she was looking radiant and he could sense her anger towards him, which just amused him. 'You're gonna punish Billy-boy for easing my concerns over the well-being of my child?' he asked knowingly.

Gail sighed and closed her eyes when Rita began to scream again, she needed to get away from that sound or it would drive her crazy. She felt Lucas gently take her arm and allowed him to lead her to a quieter location. When they were alone she turned her full attention to him. 'Your so called concern is no excuse for betraying my trust and prying into my medical records' she said and pulled her arm free of his grasp.

Lucas sensed that this appeared to have caused her distress and he could not understand why. She would not get herself examined to ensure their baby was of good health; therefore, he took matters into his own hands.

'You know what? That's just fine, you don't trust me and I don't trust you so why should I expect anything else?' she asked, after reading his thoughts and began to rummage through her bag.

'That's a little dramatic now isn't it Darlin?' Lucas asked, watching as she pulled a file out of her bag.

'Dramatic would be me leaving again, after realizing I was a fool to believe I could have an honest relationship with someone like you...Happy Birthday Sheriff' she said and threw the file at him, then turned around and walked out of the hospital.

Lucas watched her carefully as she left, then opened the file to find an ultrasound scan and a report detailing her health. The date on the report indicated it was made before Billy reported to him, which meant she was planning on reassuring him after all. Lucas sighed and shook his head, then turned towards Ben who had come out of the hospital room.

'It's a girl' Ben smiled, then the realization hit that he was a father again and a look of concern fell over his face.

Lucas smiled and patted Ben on the back. 'Don't you worry about a thing friend, she'll be well taken care of...Now you go back to that pretty little Nurse of yours'

'Rita wanted to see Gail, where'd she go?' Ben asked.

'She had to go get ready, we have are a party to attend remember?...I'll be sure to give her the good news though' Lucas said reassuringly, then turned and headed out of the hospital.

* * *

Caleb arrived at the Mayor's house with Merlyn and Ben Jr, Ben was supposed to be here too and Gail did not think it was right that Ben Jr was left out due to bad timing. His cousin was not with them, she appeared to be running late; therefore, she arranged for Loris to drive them all. Caleb was too excited to be concerned with his cousins whereabouts and wanted to show off the Rorschach costume that Lucas had gotten him.

Merlyn watched as Caleb took Ben Jr's arm and rushed inside, she had no idea how he could see through that silly mask; however, she was glad her brother was happy. She did not want to be here and had opted for a plain witch's costume, as it was the least effort she had to waste getting ready. She spotted her brother had gone to Mary's side of the party, which was a blessing and she followed him slowly. She could not bear being around the over privileged men of this town and did not envy the duties her cousin was required to perform tonight.

* * *

Lucas put on his best southern gentleman smile and went from group to group, performing for his townspeople; however, inside he was seething. He had not taken well to Gail's comment about leaving and was trying to establish whether she was serious about her threat, or whether it was a joke. Being at this party did not help with his unease and he found himself watching the door like a hawk, awaiting his loves arrival.

'Nice costume Lucas...as usual it brings out your character' Larry said, as he admired Lucas' phantom of the opera costume.

Lucas turned towards Larry and forced a smile. 'You know me, never one to disappoint...Did everythin' go as planned with Billy Peele?' he asked.

Larry nodded and took a sip of his drink. 'I found it a strange request, considering you were so against him having the position originally, but yes it all went smoothly and the man is back in as the Head Doctor of Juniper'

'It's nice to see corruption isn't an issue in this town' Gail said sarcastically, as she approached the pair with Abe on her arm.

Lucas turned towards Gail and admired her success in hiding her condition with her costume. She was wearing a dark green, knee length, corset period dress that flowed out just below the waist. Her long hair lay in loose curls down her back, with parts clipped up to leave just a few strands touching her face. 'Trouble findin' a date Darlin'?' he smirked.

'Trouble findin' a man who isn't an ass' Abe replied, before Gail had chance.

Lucas shook his head at Abe's interference. 'I'm surprised you made it off your front porch ol' man, how's that ticker of yours these days?'

Abe laughed and stepped closer to his old friend. 'Oh I'm just fine boy, enjoyin' this present company on my arm' he winked.

Lucas inhaled deeply to push down his anger when Abe stroked Gail's back affectionately, knowing the action was a sign of disrespect.

'Now, now men...I'm sure the lovely Miss Emory is nice enough to share her presence with us all this evening' Larry said and smiled at Gail.

'I'm sure I am, but it's the man on my arm that I'll be heading home with tonight' she smiled suggestively and pulled Abe away from Lucas.

'She is a beauty that girl' Larry said, as she walked away.

'Careful now...she's mine' Lucas warned.

Larry took a step back, then walked away from Lucas. It was not like Lucas to be so forthright and he sensed they all should air on the side of caution around him tonight.

* * *

Caleb stood behind Merlyn as she was talking to Ben Jr, in a quiet spot by the back door. He was beginning to get agitated as he wanted to see his father; however, Merlyn insisted on him staying with the women and she was watching him like a hawk. He loved his sister dearly, but was beginning to feel smothered and he was planning the best way to lose her.

'By heading through this door' Gail whispered through the small crack she had created, when opening the door quietly.

Caleb turned towards his cousin, surprised by her sudden appearance. 'What are...' he started.

'Shhh' Gail whispered and signaled for him to follow her. When he rushed through the door she noticed Merlyn turn around, but she shot her a warning glance not to follow them and smiled when the girl appeared to be adhering to her wishes.

Caleb glanced around the large kitchen and picked up a sandwich from a platter. 'Where've you been cous'? I've missed you'

Gail laughed and shook her head. 'You've had enough company to the point where you feel smothered, so don't act as if I've abandoned you'

Caleb shrugged and continued to walk through the kitchen, she was not wrong and he had been surrounded by a lot of people this past week. 'Maybe I need you rather than everyone else' he said and took a bite of the sandwich.

'And maybe I needed some time on my own' she replied, taking the sandwich off him and began eating it.

Caleb regarded his cousin suspiciously, she looked different and he sensed she had something to tell him. He was beginning to get sick of all the secrecy around here and just wished she'd spit it out.

'I'm pregnant' she said, reading his mind.

Caleb took a sharp intake of breath and removed his Rorschach mask. He had been taken off guard by her honesty and was unsure how to take what she had just told him.

Gail watched her cousin carefully, she had not wanted to tell him this here; however, she had felt a sudden urgent need to inform him of her condition and it came out before she could control herself. When he did not move and just stared at the floor, she took hold of his arm gently. 'Caleb?'

'Is Lucas the daddy?' he asked curiously, there were a lot of questions floating through his mind and he would take advantage of his cousins sudden honesty.

'He is' she answered without hesitation.

Caleb nodded and contemplated the situation. 'Is this why you left?' he asked.

Gail took a deep breath to allow her mind to focus and decided continued honesty was the best way forward here. 'Yes it is...How do you feel about this?'

Caleb shrugged and attempted to act as though the revelation did not faze him; however, he felt something stir within him and could feel the rage building inside of him.

Gail sensed the change within him and released her darkness without hesitation, she had prepared herself for a bad reaction from him and would not run away from him like she had the last time.

Caleb sensed something different in his cousin and a wicked grin formed on his lips, he could not control the rage that was flowing through him and he felt an urge to insert his dominance. Before he had a chance to release his rage Gail slapped him hard across his face, the shock of the action confused him and he felt a single tear run down his cheek.

Gail took a step back after she struck him, her hand had shot out as soon as she sensed something take over him and she was worried the awful thing that caused him to attack her previously had reappeared. When she saw the wounded look on his face, she walked forward and tenderly wiped the tear from his cheek. 'You're not yourself' she said, trying to explain why she had hit him.

'Neither are you' Caleb said accusingly, then allowed her to stroke his cheek. He was mad that she had not told him she was pregnant sooner; however, after feeling the rage rise within him so suddenly, he could understand why she had been so cautious.

'We're a right pair aren't we' she smiled and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

'I guess we wouldn't want to be any other way' Caleb smiled and ignored the stinging in his cheek.

'Are you alright?' she asked concerned, then give his shoulders and affectionate squeeze.

'I reckon I am' he shrugged.

'Good...now that that's all settled, you better put your mask on for the competition'

Caleb nodded and put the Rorschach mask back on. Gail was taking him back outside; however, he did not mind, as he did not want to see Lucas just yet. Caleb knew Lucas must have kept this from him too and had started to question whether the trust between them was real.

* * *

Lucas exited the house to join the women and children, with all the other men. It was time for Mary to unveil the winners of the best costume competition and he was very interested in this part of the evening. It did not take Lucas long to locate his family and when he approached he noticed Caleb's suspicious look.

'Can't you leave us alone and go be with your damned friends?' Merlyn sighed, when she noticed he had joined them.

'No can do Missy...besides, you're more damned than they are' he smiled devilishly.

'Enough' Gail ordered and put her arm around Caleb. He had not left her side for the last hour, since she had told him of her condition and she did not want him to witness the bickering of these two.

'Can't you get him to leave us alone?' Merlyn asked annoyed.

'No more than she can get you to' Caleb snapped and wrapped his arm around Gail.

Merlyn glanced at Gail with concern and Gail just shook her head, so she moved closer to Ben Jr and decided to leave her cousin and brother be.

'It appears emotions are runnin' high in this area tonight, have I missed somethin' Darlin'?' Lucas whispered in Gail's ear.

Gail glanced at him suspiciously and leaned closer to him. 'I know you're up to something and you better think again' she warned.

'Me?' he laughed, then walked towards the stage.

'Well it's been tough trying to come up with the winners this year, as you've all gone to so much effort...' Mary started, '...But without further ado, our best dressed male is...Caleb Temple!'

The crowd clapped and Caleb could barely hear them, his mind was plagued with thoughts about Gail's pregnancy and what else he did not know. When he felt a nudge from Gail, he realized his name had been called and made his way to the stage.

Mary handed Caleb a large bag full of prizes and signaled for him to stand to her right. 'OK, well done Caleb...Now, this next person missed out last year but was my personal favorite and she has not disappointed this year. The best dressed female goes to...Gail Emory!' she called with a smile.

Gail turned towards Merlyn and rolled her eyes, she should have known there was a reason Mary wanted her to come to this party so badly. Gail forced a smile and squeezed her Uncle Abe's arm reassuringly, as she passed him to head for the stage. If this is what was required to get them all out of here quickly, then she would play the game.

Mary handed Gail a bag and took hold of her hand. 'Aren't these two just adorable...Let's here it for our best dressed, good luck to you all next year!' Mary smiled and gave Gail the nod to authorize her exit from the stage.

'Not so fast...' Lucas called as he came up on stage, '...You've been such a good host Mary, we appreciate your hospitality and all the effort you put in each year...Put your hands together for our host!' he ordered and handed her a small present for her effort.

Gail watched Lucas carefully as she clapped, she wished she had been quicker leaving the stage; however, she was stuck up here with Caleb, who had stepped closer to her protectively.

'Now, I don't usually get involved with this gatherin', but while you're all here there's somethin' I wanna say...I'm a very private person and I appreciate you all respectin' that. We have a good community here and we look out for our own...With that in mind and honesty bein' the best policy, it's only right that I share the good news...'

Gail sensed what he was about to do too late and wrapped her arm around Caleb's shoulder, to pull him closer to her.

'...I'm gonna be a father!' Lucas beamed and the crowd went silent, then broke out in applause.

'Oh my word Gail, congratulations!' Mary yelled and rushed to her friend, without thinking. When she saw the look of anger on Gail's face, she realized what she had done and noticed all eyes of the crowd were focused on them.

Gail closed her eyes and willed for the ground to swallow her up, she had sensed she needed to make Caleb aware of the situation urgently; however, she did not suspect would Lucas announce it his townspeople. She took a deep breath in an attempt to regain her composure and stroked Caleb's cheek reassuringly.

Lucas walked towards Gail with his best smile and stood behind her. 'Try to leave now Miss Emory' he whispered vindictively in her ear, as he leaned close.

Gail glanced at Lucas with a look of hatred, then let go of Caleb and calmly walked towards the podium. If he wanted to play, she was game and she would make him regret his decision to force her hand publicly.

Taking the microphone off the podium, she turned towards the crowd and nodded towards the congratulations getting thrown at her. She waited for a moment until the crowd went silent in anticipation of her speaking, then forced a smile. 'While I'm up here, in this lovely comfortable setting...' she said sarcastically, '...there's something I'd like to add...'

Caleb went to rush to his cousins side; however, a sharp bolt of pain surged through his head and he heard her voice in his mind, telling him to stop.

'...You've all been wonderful in welcoming me back to Trinity, after the tragic incident that befell my cousin. Lucas is right, this is a wonderful community and I'm sure you'll all agree that we're all lucky to have such an involved caregiver...' Gail continued, forcing a sweet tone to her voice.

Merlyn sensed what Gail was about to do and signaled for Caleb to leave the stage and come to her. She could not hide the smile from her face and when Caleb came to her, she went to stand with Abe and Ben Jr again.

'...So with that in mind and honesty being the best policy...' Gail smiled sweetly and nodded towards Lucas for his choice of words, '...I think it's only fair that we all come together and wish our Sheriff a very happy 49th Birthday!'

Lucas shot a confused look at Gail, then the realization of what she had just done hit him and he had to use all of his strength to prevent his twin breaking free to punish her. He could not believe she had just publicized his birthday, after all the years he had kept it hidden and his mind was plagued with concerns of how she knew his age. He looked at Abe who just shrugged, then looked at the crowd who were staring at him in shock.

'Lucas you ol' dog you! Who knew after all these years?...' Mayor John smiled as he came on stage, '...Will you all join me in singin' Happy Birthday to our beloved Sheriff?'

Gail smiled smugly at the uncomfortable situation she had caused Lucas to be in and laughed as the whole crowd began to sing happy birthday to him. She took her chance to discreetly exit the stage and get her family out of here, while everyone was distracted with Lucas.

When she had ushered her party into her car, she quickly turned on the engine and drove away. There would be hell to pay on both sides of this come morning; however, she would leave this place knowing she had gotten the last laugh tonight.

-The end-


End file.
